No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites

No bake chocolate chip "cookies" for snack, yum! These energy bites are so easy to make. Just mix quick oats with your mixins' of choice and bind with nut/seed butter. We used chocolate chips, dried cherries, coconut flakes, ground flaxseed, chia seeds and peanut butter. But you can change it up however you like. If you want them to be completely added-sugar free, swap the chocolate chips with cacao nibs and use naturally sweet fruit, like raisins or diced up dates. We usually make the dough together and eat it straight from the bowl.
It's that good!

Ingredients straight from the pantry - doesn't get much easier than that :)

'Come on and stir it up...little darling, stir it up...' Do you like Bob Marley? Silly question. 

So good! Sometimes we flatten them so they are more cookie-like.

No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites

1/2 cup quick oats
1/4 cup coconut chips
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/8 cup vegan chocolate chips
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon flaxseed
1/3 cup natural peanut butter*

1.  In a large bowl, stir together all ingredients except the peanut butter.

2.  Add in the peanut butter. It may take several minutes of stirring to bind the ingredients together. If it is too wet, add more oats. If it is too dry, add more peanut butter.

3. Take a heaping tablespoon of dough at a time, pressing and rolling them into balls with your hands. You can keep them in this shape or press them down so they are flat, if preferred.

*you can swap the peanut butter with any nut or seed butter you prefer but may have to slightly increase or decrease the amount depending on the thickness of the butter you use.

Cinnamon Tortilla Dippers

This is a fun, quick, easy recipe when you need a healthy, sweet snack. Again, dipping is not only super fun for kids but keeps them busy for a while ;) Healthy and sweet, it's a perfect sub for a processed treat.

(Serves 1 kiddo)

1 whole wheat tortilla
1 teaspoon agave or maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon (or to taste)
Applesauce for dipping (recipe below)
For the applesauce:

4 apples, peeled, cored and diced
1 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Put all of the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat.

2. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes - 15 minutes, until the apples are very tender.

3. Remove from heat and smash the apples with a fork until the desired consistency is achieved.


For the dippers:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (or foil sprayed with cooking spray).

3. Lay the tortilla on the sheet and spray both sides with cooking spray.

4. Drizzle agave over the tortilla and spread evenly with a spoon. Sprinkle with the cinnamon.

5. Bake for 5-10 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.

6. Let cool for five minutes then cut or break the tortilla into chips.

30 Minute Citrus Tea Cakes

When life brings you grapefruit...make tea cakes! After picking what had to be thousands of grapefruit, it's nice to sit down and have such a delicate treat. I don't know what it is about having "tea" that makes Americans feel so tickled but it hasn't lost its charm. This recipe is a great kids in the kitchen activity and can be made with any citrus you have on hand. The cakes are super moist and made with vegan ingredients. 

If you are in the same situation with a citrus harvest overload, this recipe won't exactly relieve your surplus, but that's okay! Check out your local hunger relief agencies to see if they will accept a donation. Some organizations, like FoodForward in LA, will even come pick the fruit for you. If you don't have fruit trees but want to pick fruit (why not!?) organizations like FoodForward also accept volunteers. So don't let that produce go to waste! 

Citrus Tea Cakes

1 cup almond milk
1 tbsp citrus juice
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tbsp citrus zest
6 tbsp aquafaba* (or two flax eggs)
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2. In a liquid measuring cup, add almond milk, citrus juice, and vanilla, set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, blend the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and zest. Add in the milk mixture, aquafaba, syrup and olive oil. Blend until everything is just combined. 

4. Pour mixture into cupcake liners or a greased muffin tin and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool then dust with powdered sugar or citrus zest, if desired. 


*For the aquafaba, we use liquid drained from a can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas). It makes a perfect replacement for eggs in baking. The remaining liquid and beans can be kept in the refrigerator for other uses. 

3-Ingredient Hot Chocolate

We love a cup of hot cocoa as a special treat this time of year but we've noticed that the ingredient lists on some of our favorite instant mixes are looking pretty heavy in the chemical department.  So here's a way cheaper, and just as good option, using just three ingredients!

1 heaping tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
1 cup milk of choice, heated

Place the cocoa powder and syrup in the bottom of a mug and then gradually add the hot milk, stirring as you pour.  Blend well and serve!

Super Healthy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

These are inspired by our childhood love of chewy chocolate chip oatmeal raisin bars, remember those?!  What we've done is created a cookie with no butter, no flour, no junk, just goodness.  The result is soft, warm, chocolately deliciousness. Kids love desserts, and this is the perfect guilt free treat. This recipe has chocolate chips in it but dried cranberries, raisins or chopped nuts would work well, too.  Sometimes you just need a cookie.

2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 1/2 cups of quick cook oats
1/4 cup almond milk
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheet or line with parchment paper, set aside.
2. Mix all ingredients together.
3. Scoop heaping spoonfuls of mix onto cookie sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Chocolate Dipped Clementines

‘Tis the season for fun kitchen activities with the whole family. Looking for something fun to do with your little ones during the holiday break? Look no further than these scrumptious chocolate dipped clementines! Have your kids help peel, dip and decorate their way into a fun and healthy treat. We used apple peels for the eyes and mango skins for the lips to create our smiley faces. What are some of your favorite 'kids in the kitchen' holiday traditions? 

4 clementines, peeled
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips in 15 second increments (stirring in between) until chocolate is melted. 

2. Dip the clementine segments in the chocolate and lay out on a silicone mat or tray lined with parchment paper.  Or try drizzling the chocolate with a spoon over the segments to make a pattern.

3.  Let cool for a few minutes in the freezer or until the chocolate is solid.




 

Applesauce

Did you know that the 'good stuff' can be made super easily and healthy at home? Yep, it's easier than you might think. This recipe is fast, simple and delicious. We love creating apple recipes in the fall, they make the whole house smell fantastic. And if you are looking for something to do one weekend, we suggest finding a nearby apple orchard and taking the kids apple picking. Talk about some great childhood memories! Get the kids involved!

(Makes about two servings)

4 apples, peeled, cored and diced
1 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Put all of the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat.

2. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes - 15 minutes, until the apples are tender. Remove from heat.

3. Smash the apples with a fork until the desired consistency is achieved.

Baked Apples

One of our fondest childhood memories is of our mothers baking apples for dessert. The warm, homey smell of cinnamon and apples permeating the air. Aaah the smell of fall! Everyone got their own apple, it felt like such a treat. Bring this tradition to your home! Simple is often the most delicious.

(Serves a family of 4)

4 firm apples
4 teaspoons brown sugar
Cinnamon (optional)

1. Remove the top of the apples at an angle (similar to a Halloween pumpkin).

2. Scoop out the center of the apples, leaving the bottoms intact.

3. Fill each apple with the brown sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon then replace its top.

4. Put all the apples in a baking dish filled 1/4 inch up with water.

5. Cover with lid or aluminum foil and bake at 350° F for 40 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving.